1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to an attitude-supporting apparatus mounted on a vehicle for sustaining attitude of a passenger and a method of the same. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a technique of supporting attitude of a passenger when an acceleration is applied in a lateral direction of a vehicle, for example, when the vehicle is rolling.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the object of sustaining attitude of passenger when the vehicle is turning or rolling, the form of the seat is improved and an arm-rest is provided at the vehicle door. Recently the vehicles which the air-bag is carried on are also increase from the viewpoint of the passenger protection. The conventional attitude-supporting apparatuses are, however, not specifically directed to a lateral acceleration or a lateral force applied to a passenger when the vehicle turns or rolls.
The users of automobiles are being diversified more and more. Passengers in a vehicle are often required to carry out certain actions (for example, inclining the upper half of the body or concentrating the strength on part of the body) to support the attitude against a large acceleration, for example, due to a turn or a roll. When an aged or handicapped person is seated in a vehicle, however, these attitude-sustaining actions repeated over a relatively long time period become a heavier burden to such a person.